Blog Archive

Friday, June 18, 2010

In Loving Memory of My Uncle Bill Qualey

William Eugene Qualey of Rogers, MN passed away unexpectedly Wednesday June 16, 2010. He was born Oct. 11, 1946 in Island Falls the son of George and Ella (Cunningham) Qualey. Bill was a master craftsman at his trade and specialized in dressage horses and hunter/jumpers. Bill spent his life with his fiancee Dawn Uherka. He is survived by his fiancee Dawn, six brothers, Phillip, Bernard, David, Steven, Paul and Buzzy and 4 sisters, Sue, Doris, Irene and Eloise as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and one sister Angela. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Minnesota at the request of the family.

10 comments:

Thanks to the Cote family for always being there for dad when things have gotten rough. Also thanks for all the hunting memories that I will cherish of each of you and Uncle Bill. As I relive some of them I can't help but laugh. Many good times. Thanks again.

Bill passed away at my farm. He was kind, patient, wonderful with horses and their owners. He spent an inordinate amount of time assesing my horses problems and corrected them. No more Bute! I am so grateful to him and we will miss him terribly. He was pure genius!Brenda Henney

I am saddened by the loss of Bill. He was a complete original. He had that Jack Nicholson swagger and that great sense of humor.

My horse, Flax, just loved him. He used to lick his head when he’d shoe him. Bill would just laugh. Flax had many issues and Bill was great with him. He spent so much time watching him move and did everything possible to help balance him. He had such an incredible eye for the way a horse moves and how his foot lands. He was gifted that way. He really cared about his clients and their horses. I will never forget that he stopped by just to check in on Flax who I brought home after many months of stall rest. Flax was thrilled to see him.

So many friends have called and are saddened at his passing. Many of us have known Bill for more years than we care to admit. We will all be missing him. You see, we got quite accustomed to seeing him every six weeks, give or take.

I have known Bill since his early days of being a farrier. When I decided to go to shoeing school he was very generous with his time and resources. He lent me his text books to get a jump on reading before my class started, he made my anvil stand that I still use today, and we would practice turning shoes in my driveway. Whenever I would see him in various barns he would always have a kind word to say, or a story to tell.My condolences to Dawn and his family. I will miss him and his laugh. Godspeed, Bill.

Bill was the farrier for my beloved old schoolmaster Mendel. When I moved Mendel to my home farm Bill continued to care for him- driving almost an hour each way to trim one horse. When I offered to get someone local to trim him, Bill always said no, that he wanted to old guy to stay as sound as possible and he knew how to keep him comfortable. His knowledge and talent will be greatly missed in the dressage community.

Bill and I used to have such wonderful chats while he was shoeing horses where I worked. He liked to talk about his family, his horses and dogs, the Army, hunting and Dawn, her gardens and cooking.I will never forget his big laugh after one of his silly jokes. Bill was a big teddy bear who would do anything for anyone at anytime.It is true, he was a master at his craft. He would spend hours thinking up a new shoe for my horse to make him comfortable. Thanks you for the loving care, Bill.My sympathies to Dawn and his family. We have lost a wonderful friend but have so many happy memories to cherish. He will always be in our hearts.Ann Bryant

Bill will be missed on the west side of town. He was a man of many talents even if it was to take time away from shoeing to helping put a new wash stall wall. He was always there no matter what you need help with.Master Farrier doesn't even touch the talent the man had with taking on any horses problem. He was one of a kind.Our prayers are with the whole family and especially Dawn we are here for you if you just need some one to talk to I am close by.Love always,Patti-Jo and Mike McClellan April, Jessica, Laura and all the horses will miss you dearly.

Bill got a real kick out of my placing a framed picture of a stallion in my mare's stall when i was trying to breed her. He would say "That's all she's gonna get!" since the stallion was in Europe. He was really supportive of the foal.

Bill was the only farrier I knew that would watch each horse go before he made their shoes.

Thanks Bill, for taking good care of Faith all these years and for the great stories in the barn isle on a rainy day.